Ongoing Senate scandal

[Maritime Q-Scout]

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

When I hear someone saying "But he is the PM and deserves respect" I flash back to all the times I heard the same thing said about GWB. "He is the President and even if you don't agree you need to respect the office". Then Obama was elected and apparently that logic only applied for white, republican Presidents.

I think that a Prime Minister, or President, or military personnel deserve respect unless they demonstrate otherwise.

I don't think it's a carte blanche level of respect but for some professions it's lost not earned, whereas for the average joe you need to earn respect before you recieve it. (Even then I'm not sold on that philosophy, but I do think that's how the world works).

[starseed]

I would agree with that, and I would say many Canadians would be able to rightfully say that the prime minister has lost that respect from them. I would say my personal biggest reason would be that his opaque governing style is thought to be unmatched in any previous government. Omnibus bills, limiting and canceling debate, muzzling his caucus, not answering questions in parliament, limiting and isolating press engagement, eliminating CAIRS, etc.

[Zulu29]

Duffy, Brazeau and Wallin all suspended from the senate for two years. The RCMP is apparently looking for the email and document chain from the PMO to Duffy directing him to lie about where the $90,000 came from.

[Zulu29]

Duffy's lawyer just turned over hundreds of emails in relation to the PMO, really interested to see what those reveal.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Zulu29

Duffy's lawyer just turned over hundreds of emails in relation to the PMO, really interested to see what those reveal.

I was wondering when these would make an appearance. Now that he has nothing to lose you have to expect the real gun show!

[MoneyGuy]

Originally Posted by Zulu29

Duffy, Brazeau and Wallin all suspended from the senate for two years. The RCMP is apparently looking for the email and document chain from the PMO to Duffy directing him to lie about where the $90,000 came from.

If this was Rob Ford he'd be asking for the resignation of the RCMP commissioner for doing his job.

[Bertuzzied]

Now it's starting to get good. Maybe we'll see this

BCC: Stephen.Harper

[Slava]

I'm still hoping for:

Dear Stevie,

Thanks for your help with that $90k.

First rounds on me tonight!

Sincerely,

The Duffster

[Senator Clay Davis]

Its amazing how quickly this went to the back (back) burner. Crack smoking, alcoholic politicians just draw the public's attention easier. Anyways I think we all knew once Duffy finally got punted is when the fun would start. Should be fun to watch unfold.

[Daradon]

Dunno that it's on the back burner, it's being alternated with the Ford stuff on CBC.

Though it's definitely a lot less dramatic.

Course, if something damning about the PMO comes out soon, this has the opportunity to get just as big.

[RedHot25]

Uh oh....

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/wrig...ents-1.2433427

Prime Minister Stephen Harper's former chief of staff, Nigel Wright, is being investigated for bribery, fraud and breach of trust along with Senator Mike Duffy, in an RCMP probe that has expanded to include the Prime Minister's Office, court documents released today show.

...suggest numerous senior officials in the Prime Minister's Office were involved in the negotiations. Horton details alleged negotiations between Duffy's then lawyer, Janice Payne, and PMO legal counsel Benjamin Perrin.

Horton alleges Senator Irving Gerstein, who is in charge of the Conservative Party's finances, agreed to pay off what Duffy owed the Senate when he thought it was $32,000, but "agreed to reimbursement of the legal fees" when it was revealed Duffy had to repay more than $90,000.

Horton alleges in the court documents that the payment was part of an agreement that would have seen the government end a Senate audit into Duffy's spending, and confirm that he was eligible to sit as the senator from P.E.I., despite having lived in Ottawa for decades.


When the audit went ahead, "the PMO in turn set out to have the Senate Report changed to reflect how they wanted it to appear," Horton alleges in the affidavit

[Slava]

That's strange. I could've sworn that the PM said that Wright was rogue and acted entirely alone?

[RedHot25]

Originally Posted by Slava

That's strange. I could've sworn that the PM said that Wright was rogue and acted entirely alone?

Apparently everyone but the PM himself

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...ticle15522531/

According to the RCMP production order, Nigel Wright "did, without the consent in writing of the head of the branch of government, pay a reward or confer an advantage or benefit on Mike Duffy."

Yet for example...

According to the RCMP, the Prime Minister’s Office faced a “problem” given that the draft audit criticized Mr. Duffy. The Prime Minister's Office then allegedly “influenced senators (David) Tkachuk, (Carolyn) Stewart Olsen, and (Marjory) LeBreton to change the report to reflect wording that the PMO wanted.”

[Senator Clay Davis]

The important thing for Rerun and the rest of the staunch CPCers is they still have their plausible deniability for Stephen Harper's involvement which is all that matters. Amazingly everyone in his office is involved but somehow he's just totally aloof as to what's going on in his own office.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by RedHot25

Apparently everyone but the PM himself



Yet for example...

On twitter someone says that in the Wright documents there is an email from Wright that says "we're good to go from the PM."

/Harper Government™

[RedHot25]

Originally Posted by Slava

On twitter someone says that in the Wright documents there is an email from Wright that says "we're good to go from the PM."

/Harper Government™

https://twitter.com/MichaelBolen/status/403210710508793856

Apparently page 33 of this from the above twitter: http://www.scribd.com/fullscreen/185...ew_mode=scroll

[Senator Clay Davis]

[Tinordi]

"Battlestations!"

--Starship Rerun

[calumniate]

Step aside Mr Ford, you're no longer relevant. This is juicier now

[Bertuzzied]

King Harper: Unleash the Ford Cracken upon the citizens of the World.